1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a putting training device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a training or instructional device to be used in developing the proper motor skills related to putting, in which a putting training device is affixed to a putter to ensure a proper hinge action between a golfer's rearward shoulder and the radius of the putting stroke.
2. Description of Related Art
In the game of golf, putting generally constitutes more than 40% of the strokes comprising a golfer's score. No other golf club contributes so greatly to a golfer's score. Accordingly, the putter is the most important golf club, and putting is thus the most important aspect of the game of golf.
Because the objective in golf is to complete a round with the fewest number of strokes, a golfer's game will be greatly facilitated by developing an effective and sound putting procedure that can be repeated consistently. To develop an effective and sound putting stroke, the golfer must learn to control the club shaft, the club head, and the club face in such a way as to impart a consistent roll on the golf ball.
A variety of techniques have been introduced for training a golfer to control these aspects of the putting stroke. The most common of these techniques is called the "pendulum stroke."
The pendulum stroke method for putting training, however, does not aid in developing the most natural system of feel or touch while putting. Under this method, the golfer must maintain a constant triangle between the arms and shoulders, thereby establishing a pendulum. The hands and wrists control the putter by holding it without allowing any movement in relation to the triangle. The proper pendulum motion is generated by rocking or rotating the shoulders back and forth around the center of the shoulders. The center of the shoulders thus becomes the pivot point from which the golfer can attain a true pendulum motion.
A device that attempts to train the pendulum stroke method is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,156,401. That device is designed to produce a strict pendulum motion by forcing a specific geometrical configuration to stay intact while using the muscles of the golfer's shoulders to generate energy and produce feel. Despite the attempt to produce feel using a pendulum motion, this device instead creates a rigidity that reduces feel. It allows the user to experience only a specific type of stroke, preventing any additional arm, wrist, or hand action except as dictated by the shoulders. Additional arm motion, however, is necessary to provide the best possible system of feel.
In addition, it has been discovered that it is just as important for a golfer to experience incorrect activity as correct activity. For a golfer to maintain the proper putting stroke, the golfer must be able to distinguish between both the correct and incorrect putting motions. Once the golfer experiences this distinction, the golfer can select which motion produces the best results. Accordingly, a putting training device should possess less rigidity and a means of biofeedback at the point the device is attached to the putter.
Another putting training device is designed to keep the golfer's right forearm (assuming a right-handed golfer) and putter shaft on the same delivery path during the putting stroke, thus promoting proper shaft and club head delivery. An example of such a device is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,516. Other devices have been designed to eliminate breaking-down or cupping of the golfer's left wrist during the putting stroke (again, assuming a right-handed golfer). None of these devices, however, engages either the shoulder or arm-pit areas, thus permitting excessive motion between the golfer's arms and shoulders. In light of the foregoing, a need exists for a putting training device that promotes feel and touch, that provides reduced rigidity and a means of biofeedback at the point the device attaches to the putter, and that engages the golfer's shoulder or arm-pit area, thus limiting excessive motion between the arms and shoulders.